Torchlight

 PC
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 910 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 618 out of 910
  2. Mixed: 238 out of 910
  3. Negative: 54 out of 910
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  1. BrianR
    Jan 2, 2010
    4
    I'm glad I only paid $10 for it through a steam sale. It's ... Diablo. With features stolen from subsequent clones, better graphics, and without multiplayer. Click, click, click, click .. oh, shiny object ... click, click, click. Rinse, repeat. The novelty has apparently worn off since Diablo was released, at least for this gamer. Torchlight truly offers nothing original, merely I'm glad I only paid $10 for it through a steam sale. It's ... Diablo. With features stolen from subsequent clones, better graphics, and without multiplayer. Click, click, click, click .. oh, shiny object ... click, click, click. Rinse, repeat. The novelty has apparently worn off since Diablo was released, at least for this gamer. Torchlight truly offers nothing original, merely taking the features of the original and adding ones from other clones that have been released since. After a couple hours you will find yourself bored out of your skull.… Expand
  2. KevinR
    Jan 17, 2010
    1
    This game is bad beyond belief. In terms of originality it's about as original as the wheel or fire, or a burning wheel at best. Graphics are mediocre at best, the difficulty curve is pretty good, and is sure to challenge you, if you consider using a mouse a challenge. Gameplay is about as interesting as constantly clicking your mouse, and for the portable version of this game, This game is bad beyond belief. In terms of originality it's about as original as the wheel or fire, or a burning wheel at best. Graphics are mediocre at best, the difficulty curve is pretty good, and is sure to challenge you, if you consider using a mouse a challenge. Gameplay is about as interesting as constantly clicking your mouse, and for the portable version of this game, simply disconnect mouse and start playing (screen not needed). All in all, Torchlight can best be described as the repetitive completion of mundane and soul-killing actions that neither require skill nor award the player in any way. So if you already have a job, then you are not missing anything by passing this game, unless you want a job where you pay your employer. The only reason this gam-- occupat-- horrible spawn of what I suspect is the dark side of the software development industry is popular comes from the fact that it is essentially Diablo, a game that for today's standards is horrible but still causes a wave of nostalgia in today's video gamers who have played this shit.… Expand
  3. silkforcalde
    Apr 8, 2012
    0
    This game is Diablo 2 stripped of the community, saddled with a pointlessly obtuse stat system, with the most dull characters ever. You get a melee warrior, a ranged archer, and a wizard. Yes, the most cliched, generic classes you could imagine. They even kept the same composer as Diablo 2 so the music will sound nostalgiac, but the mediocre art design (note that I am not criticizingThis game is Diablo 2 stripped of the community, saddled with a pointlessly obtuse stat system, with the most dull characters ever. You get a melee warrior, a ranged archer, and a wizard. Yes, the most cliched, generic classes you could imagine. They even kept the same composer as Diablo 2 so the music will sound nostalgiac, but the mediocre art design (note that I am not criticizing the game for being cartoony, just for being ugly) will ruin that immediately. Furthermore, the lack of multiplayer means that gear doesn't matter. The game is poorly balanced for enemy levels. If you just go down the main dungeon, the game should mostly be fine but you will outlevel the enemies by the 10th or so floor. If, however, you complete some of the optional side dungeons that open up, you will overlevel the content and the game will largely consist of you mindlessly clicking on, and one shotting every single enemy without even the slightest fear of death. It becomes unbearably dull. So what we are left with is a few generic classes, stuck in a pointless Diablo 2 clone with no multiplayer, grinding for loot that never matters using a leveling system that rarely awards with the player with new abilities and always forces you to mindlessly dump stat points that are never really choices at all.

    This is the worst Diablo 2 clone of all time. Avoid. At any cost. Even free. Do not waste your time.    … Expand
  4. MrOtter
    Jul 22, 2012
    3
    Tedious and boring. Another lootfest game that needs no skill to play. It just boils down to a point and click game Hardest difficulty, all you need to do is move around and click what you want to loot, as your pet has one shotted most NPCs before they are even on the screen.

    Hardest difficulty should be hard as hell, and not designed for some console kiddie.
  5. kyuz0r
    May 21, 2011
    1
    I've played this game.. for a while. It's sad how this game got out after the Diablo 3 Gameplay Movies were showed to the world. Anyway, let's go to the subject, the game is a fail copycat after Diablo 3, has only 3 classes, the cartoon-ish graphics suck and it's boring like hell. It's sad to see game developers going after the glory of a best seller like Diablo 2. It would be nice if theyI've played this game.. for a while. It's sad how this game got out after the Diablo 3 Gameplay Movies were showed to the world. Anyway, let's go to the subject, the game is a fail copycat after Diablo 3, has only 3 classes, the cartoon-ish graphics suck and it's boring like hell. It's sad to see game developers going after the glory of a best seller like Diablo 2. It would be nice if they really come with something new in Tourchlight 2 but I doubt it. Overall its a good but boring game to play until Diablo 3 comes out.… Expand
  6. R_O360
    Dec 26, 2011
    4
    This game sucks, is incredibly boring, and looks like ****

    I am typing this because I need 150 characters blalblalblALBLALBLALDSFLKSDFLKlksdflksgdflLKSDF.
  7. LeahR
    Jan 1, 2010
    6
    Slick yet ultimately superficial Diablo clone. While I'm aware of the irony in this statement, Torchlight is not as "deep" as other hack-'n-slash titles like Titan Quest, which offer far more complex maps, quests, classes, and skill trees. With Torchlight's 3 classes and imbalanced skill trees (a mix of overpowered and useless skills), as well as a virtually non-existent Slick yet ultimately superficial Diablo clone. While I'm aware of the irony in this statement, Torchlight is not as "deep" as other hack-'n-slash titles like Titan Quest, which offer far more complex maps, quests, classes, and skill trees. With Torchlight's 3 classes and imbalanced skill trees (a mix of overpowered and useless skills), as well as a virtually non-existent quest system and repetitive maps, the replay value is low compared to TQ and other Diablo clones. Also, no online multiplayer or LAN co-op gameplay is a huge disappointment. Still, not bad for fast-paced, mindless, single-player fun with its obviously Blizzard-inspired, Warcraft-esque graphics and setting.… Expand
  8. JesusChrist
    Dec 20, 2009
    6
    I agree that it's well polished, but again, it's just a clone of fate/diablo. If this game had multiplayer (real multiplayer, not mmo), my rating would be much higher.
  9. Babo
    Dec 25, 2009
    6
    Think the lack of multiplayer is a big disappointment. Although the game has nice look and feel, after a couple of hours of playing it gets kind of boring. Waiting for D3
  10. CannibalBob
    Aug 8, 2012
    3
    Flawed hack'n'slash-style gameplay offers nothing new or useful to the Action/RPG genre. Unless you enjoy fighting a game's interface most the time, then this is only for impatient Diablo 3 fans!
  11. birdman3
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    A Diablo clone, but much less linear. Unfortunately, there are so many sidepaths that I felt I had to take in this game that I eventually leveled my character higher than the normal campaign's monsters, such that I trivialized the content for myself. The game is just like Diablo 1 but with Diablo 3 graphics.
  12. suneater
    Dec 11, 2012
    5
    Extremely mediocre. I don't understand the hype behind this... how did it receive so many awards? It's basically Diablo 1's gameplay (including character customization/growth) with WC3/WoW graphics. Very derivative and only worth playing if you can get it on sale. Oh yeah, and no multiplayer. If you're looking for a Diablo clone please try Titan Quest or Sacred instead.
  13. MightyThor
    Aug 2, 2013
    6
    The style, graphics, sound, music and even aspects of the gameplay of Torchlight are all outstanding. But I can't give it more than an average 6 because the game is so repetitive. Unless you suffer from ocd and must collect every item set and max enchant your gear, you will eventually lose interest in this game, most likely around 5-10 hours in. Which is still pretty fair value for a gameThe style, graphics, sound, music and even aspects of the gameplay of Torchlight are all outstanding. But I can't give it more than an average 6 because the game is so repetitive. Unless you suffer from ocd and must collect every item set and max enchant your gear, you will eventually lose interest in this game, most likely around 5-10 hours in. Which is still pretty fair value for a game price at $10 (and often on sale for less).

    It's unfortunate too that the dungeons aren't more dynamic and interesting because the classes and talent systems are really well done. Your class has three skill trees so you can make them do very different things. Want a warrior that casts powerful spells? No problem! You just won't be as strong as a mage. Your rogue can go swashbuckling sword master or a long distance hunter like hero, it's all up to you. The gear is also cool and well itemized. But ultimately I felt like I was leveling up for no reason. None of the dungeons were challenging so I could simply auto attack my way through everything.

    Ultimately I wanted to fall in love with torchlight, but after the excitement of a new crush wears off, it's time to move on.    … Expand
  14. tufferugli
    Jun 9, 2013
    3
    gameplay is boring and graphic are too cartoonish. yes, runic games are the guys behind diablo1, but this is not something that will give torchlight a positive rating.
  15. DeusXCom
    Nov 22, 2014
    5
    Diablo 2 wannabe, except without all the Diablo 2 special flavour. The gameplay itself is nicely fluid, you feel right at home with controls, you kill hordes of enemies, loot plenty of stuff, level up skills for your character, but soon you realize that this is all you do and that it's getting more and more repetitive, more and more boring, there is no variation, whatsoever. Even questsDiablo 2 wannabe, except without all the Diablo 2 special flavour. The gameplay itself is nicely fluid, you feel right at home with controls, you kill hordes of enemies, loot plenty of stuff, level up skills for your character, but soon you realize that this is all you do and that it's getting more and more repetitive, more and more boring, there is no variation, whatsoever. Even quests that should spice it up a bit are a joke, basically a robot that wants you to kill a monster every 2 levels, rinse and repeat, a mage who wants you to bring him an ember ever few levels, rinse and repeat and that's it. You even stop caring about the story or other characters, because there is nothing to care for, you just go deeper and deeper, killing more and more hordes of enemies, selling junk. Torchlight basically took the core mechanic of Diablo, but stripped it of all the things that made it interesting. The story is barely there and what is there is just for the sake of being there, nothing really interesting. I'm also not a big fan of the 3D cartoonish artstyle, doesn't look appealing to me at all. Enemies are not very varied, but honestly you don't even care what you kill you just kill hordes and hordes of something and by the end I was really glad it's over. I liked some of the improvements such as your companion pet which you can send to town to sell junk and by far the best element of this entire game is the music by Matt Uelmen which screams Diablo 2. That was the only thing that preserved it's quality. Other than that I don't think this is worth playing and it definitely didn't convince me to continue with end game content or play the sequel, I think I had enough of mindless killing of hordes of repetitive enemies in generic 3D cartoonish environments. No, in 2014 I prefer something more substantial, more interesting, this is not good enough honestly. 5/10… Expand
  16. tsakiym
    May 12, 2015
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I do not have to say anything more. But i need to write one hundred and fifty characters. i think my score can describe it............................… Expand
  17. Captain_Chaos
    Jun 22, 2016
    8
    2/13/2012: Torchlight doesn't have multiplayer. That is a major shortcoming in this sort of game. That said, it's a damn good dungeon crawler. Coming from the developers behind the first two Diablos (and featuring music by the same composer, a man that will make you believe guitars can sound haunting and foreboding) it should come as no surprise that it does everything those games did and2/13/2012: Torchlight doesn't have multiplayer. That is a major shortcoming in this sort of game. That said, it's a damn good dungeon crawler. Coming from the developers behind the first two Diablos (and featuring music by the same composer, a man that will make you believe guitars can sound haunting and foreboding) it should come as no surprise that it does everything those games did and more, with various time-saving, anti-frustration features that serve to streamline the game experience and keep you in the fight. I played Torchlight for a lot longer then it took to simply beat the final boss, which should be testament to it's sheer addictiveness. However, an addictive game is not necessarily a fun one, and Torchlight will eventually wear out it's welcome in your library. It's worth its low price for what you get, but at this point you may be better off waiting for the multiplayer sequel or the eventual MMO.… Expand
  18. MC
    Oct 30, 2009
    9
    Excellent hack and slash RPG - Great value for money..once you start playing, you'll want to come back for more...
  19. JohnnyW
    Jan 3, 2010
    10
    I think this game is amazing. It is a dungeon crawler at the very finest. I finished the demo and will be buying it soon. There are three distinct classes and a plethora of items and loot to discover. The varying difficulty levels add a nice touch.
  20. AlbanN
    Jan 3, 2010
    9
    Finally a game simple, addicted, worth the price, fast on any machine. What else do you want??? let's rock with it!!
  21. DaveL.
    Nov 1, 2009
    9
    This is one of the best Action-RPGs I've played in a long-long-long time. It's fun and simple. It's extremely addictive too. I can't remember the last time I felt drawn to a game like this. The graphics are simple while being very vibrant. The only thing this game needs is a multi-player component. With some multi-player thrown in I'd give this a 10.
  22. JaredJ
    Dec 30, 2009
    9
    Sometimes I wish people like Anon T would do some research before bashing a game unjustly. Torchlight may seem like a "clone" and yet... how can you clone Diablo when you co-created it? That's right. This game was made by the co-creators of Diablo. I loved the music and the new art direction taken by the team. This game is well worth the 20$.
  23. MenanP
    Jan 2, 2010
    9
    People who say this is just a rip off Diablo and Fate, yeah it is a rip but for good reasons, same developers and designers. They reworked the action-RPG genre and for $20 it's a steal, especially when it's on sale. Low requirements is a plus for those looking for the latest RPG but only have the hardware to play Diablo 2. Nice game with very little innovation though.
  24. johnccjohnc
    Nov 1, 2009
    10
    Amazingly fun game! It's like someone took Diablo, boiled it down to the best parts, and then added a bunch of wild stuff. When I found out I could be a rifle-toting wizard leading a group of imps, it was cool. When my pet dog started summoning zombies it was REALLY cool. Add a steam punk robot in there, too. And this is all before level 10! Can't wait to see what the developers Amazingly fun game! It's like someone took Diablo, boiled it down to the best parts, and then added a bunch of wild stuff. When I found out I could be a rifle-toting wizard leading a group of imps, it was cool. When my pet dog started summoning zombies it was REALLY cool. Add a steam punk robot in there, too. And this is all before level 10! Can't wait to see what the developers throw at me next. They also did an amazing job with the enemies. They've avoided the "parking lot full of critters to kill" feel of Diablo that was such a grind. Instead there are typically separate large rooms with bosses who send minions out before them. The fighting comes in intense waves, rather than boring, bug-stomping sameness. I think the reviewers aren't quite seeing the creative genius of this game. Yeah, it plays like a Diablo clone. But at the same time they've advanced genre. In fact I hope Blizzard takes a long look at Torchlight and learns a few things for Diablo III.… Expand
  25. SeanB
    Nov 25, 2009
    10
    Game is refined sugar, perfect for Diablo fixes!
  26. WilliamH
    Nov 7, 2009
    10
    Great prequel to Diablo III
  27. NickS
    Dec 10, 2009
    9
    The best dungeon crawler available so far. Very simple but plenty of complexity if you desire it. Difficulty modes definitely challenge a player and can keep the new players to the hardcore players happy. A ton of game for the price. With a good editor and great gameplay, this is a game thats hard to pass up.
  28. Harpy
    Dec 21, 2009
    8
    I never really got into the diabolo-style rpg, finding it a little dull and repetitive, particularly the constant back-tracking once the inventory fills. Thankfully, torchlight almost completely eliminates this problem, giving you instant access to merchants and storage from almost everywhere via inexpensive "town portal scrolls", which provide a two-way portal to town. It takes you to I never really got into the diabolo-style rpg, finding it a little dull and repetitive, particularly the constant back-tracking once the inventory fills. Thankfully, torchlight almost completely eliminates this problem, giving you instant access to merchants and storage from almost everywhere via inexpensive "town portal scrolls", which provide a two-way portal to town. It takes you to the exact point where you were in the dungeon. You can also send your companion pet to town to automatically sell some of your items, which is extremely convenient. But that's not all. The entire package is designed to eliminate the dull or confusing parts of diabolo-style rpgs. The controls are intuitive and the tool-tips are helpful (as are the loading screen tips). The effects of items, which are automatically adjusted to skill levels, are clearly displayed, and are even colour-coded to indicate the source of the effects. Even the characters move quickly, to minimise the boredom of backtracking, in the few cases where it's required. The only problem is that the gameplay is a little shallow and gets a little repetitive, but for $20, this game does a fine job keeping you entertained.… Expand
  29. EvanC
    Dec 20, 2009
    8
    Date is 20 december 2009. I am a pretty hardcore gamer. This game is brilliant. The love and detail that has gone into is cool. Its hardly a revolution, but by stripping back everything and leaving it unclutter it just feels fun and above all cool. The combat looks incredibly bright and animated and at times you get drawn inot it a bit and can really feel every blow. It is of course only Date is 20 december 2009. I am a pretty hardcore gamer. This game is brilliant. The love and detail that has gone into is cool. Its hardly a revolution, but by stripping back everything and leaving it unclutter it just feels fun and above all cool. The combat looks incredibly bright and animated and at times you get drawn inot it a bit and can really feel every blow. It is of course only a dungeon crawling diablo clone we have become used to but everything in ti feels fresh and fun, i can't beleive i got it for only 7:50. Its somewhat tedious and repetitive, but you hardly notice it when your having so much fun tearing through enemies. So maybe not a gameplay revolution but everything is spot on if not particularly invoative or original. Hard to argue for the price their asking. If you like action-Rpgs, buy it.… Expand
  30. Franc
    Dec 30, 2009
    9
    Torchlight is a stunningly addictive singler player Diablo clone. If you liked the original Diablo or simlilar hack'n'slay games - then you will LOVE Torchlight. Don't get me wrong, the game is far from perfect: no multiplayer, negligible storyline, the dungeons are "genereted" yet look and feel the same, the only real innovation is the updated pet - and yet the game Torchlight is a stunningly addictive singler player Diablo clone. If you liked the original Diablo or simlilar hack'n'slay games - then you will LOVE Torchlight. Don't get me wrong, the game is far from perfect: no multiplayer, negligible storyline, the dungeons are "genereted" yet look and feel the same, the only real innovation is the updated pet - and yet the game shines. It's fast, easy to get into, runs well on slower hardware and looks good on never, is very affordable and the best of it: it's FUN to play. What else do you expect from a game? A great play for casuals, or to feed your gaming needs after a long hard working day - and it deservers credit for doing this so well.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

22
#22 Best PC Game of 2009
12
#12 Most Discussed PC Game of 2009
20
#20 Most Shared PC Game of 2009

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 57 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 50 out of 57
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 57
  3. Negative: 0 out of 57
  1. RPGamer
    90
    With phenomenal music and great art direction, combined with an addictive combat system, it's hard to step away from the keyboard and mouse after the first floor.
    Read full review
  2. Cheat Code Central
    88
    Runic hasn't dumbed down the experience, they've removed the fluff and distilled it down to the truly fun parts. Add in a few innovations and what you've got is Torchlight; a game that raises the expectations for dungeon-crawling action RPGs by being not just fine-tuned but affordable as well.
    Read full review
  3. Game Informer
    88
    The core of the game is its combat and character progression, and both of those are outstanding. Torchlight might not be breaking any new ground, but the soul of Diablo hasn't been so ably captured in years. You won't find much that approaches Torchlight's worth at its $20 price point.
    Read full review
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